Discovery Green, Houston

Discovery Green is an expansive urban park in Downtown Houston, covering 11.78 acres of land. It was established through a public-private partnership between the City of Houston and local philanthropic organizations, including the Kinder Foundation. The park's construction was financed by the partnership, which purchased a series of surface parking lots on the east side of Downtown.

The park's design, led by landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Associates, began in 2005, and the park was opened to the public in April 2008. Since then, Discovery Green has become a popular destination for Houstonians and visitors alike, with an estimated 250,000 people visiting the park during its first two months of operation.

One of the park's standout features is its lake, which is surrounded by bandstands and venues for public performances, providing a perfect setting for outdoor concerts and events. There are also two dog runs for visitors to take their furry friends to, a playground for children to enjoy, and multiple recreational lawns for visitors to relax and unwind.

Discovery Green offers a range of programming throughout the year, with events that are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. The park's Art Series showcases Houston's performing, literary, and visual arts, while the Entertainment Series includes movies, Extreme Wii competitions, and concerts by musicians who present a variety of Gulf Coast and Central Texas sounds.

The park's Healthy Living in the Park series offers weekly urban markets and exercise classes, such as Pilates, Yoga, Parkour, and Zumba, as well as a Hip2BFit exercise class designed specifically for children. The Families & Children Series offers hands-on workshops and activities that are suitable for children and their parents.

On weekends, families can visit the park, take their pets to one of the two dog runs, and watch their kids play on the playground while they dispose of their newspapers and cans in recycling bins. Discovery Green has also hosted major seasonal theme events, such as outdoor exploration, kid-friendly entertainment, and charity donations.